Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-05
!, SERPENT ON BO11RD.

,:yj;uO SfOJy " A-JS Wv sNS AH0ltuSe
Jumyies.
1, correspondent in India says that
annual statements of the Indian
a,.rnment in regard to the number
nooole who there lose their lives by
a;sonous serpents and reptiles, shows
Of life is still very insecure in the
na1es. II was" he says, "for several
bars employed in the surveys made of
y Brahmapcotra and Gauges rivers,
u I had various adventures in con-
sctjon with wild animal and rep
l. life. There was never week, and
[metimes hardly day, that some one
our party was not put in peril of his
"One morning as the survey-boats
|orted out I felt too unwell to accom-
nv them, and. when they had pulled
,av. went back to my stateroom and
!, down. Our craft was then moored
HE right bank of the Brahmapootra,
o;,t thirty miles from the sea. There
rs no human habitaticn near us, and
dense Jungle extended for miles
oye and below and right to the bank
here we rested.
NV stateroom was on the side to-
srd the Jungle, and, of course, all
ors and windows were open. Besides
yself there was no one on board ex-
ri the cook, a native.
"Whcn 1 went to bed he was doing
his breakfast dishes, and making
adv for dinner, and I heard him sing
native song in a soft key as he
pved about. I did not fall asleep.
i my eyes were half shut, and the
Is were buzzing around me in
eamy way, when I felt, rather than
ard, something crawl aboard the
at.
my eyes flew open, and my heart
We jump, when I beheld the head of
large serpent at the window. The
pile was looking in, and his head
aged from right to left as he peered
satisfy his curiosity.
The distance from my head to the
Elow was not over nine feet, and,
course, l had plain view of him.
llizel at once from the size of the
El that the serpent was monster,
was certain that he would at
me. Being too startled by his
len advent to plan just what to do,
id nothing, and after moment I be-
be satisfied that he would otmeddle
il me if kept quiet. I made no ef-
TO suppress my breathing, but
srwise | was as quiet as q corpse.
The serpent was long time decid-
to come in, and as soon as his head
ehcl the floor he began crawling
ough the open door Of the hallway.
he slowly passed along, 1 estimated
;ength at thirty feet. AS I lay,
see every inch of him. The end
Is tail had scarcely disappeared over
threshold, when 1 sprang up and
ed the door. Five seconds later I
Jed the window, and was then per-
~ safe.
The first thing I wanted to do was to
e an alarm, and give the cook
pee to escape. But if I shouted the
pces were that he would not hear
and if I were to fire my pistol, he
Nd come rushing up and be ready
i'm. So, after little reflection, I
led that it was better to lot the man
his chances.
But after waiting half an hour, be-
hing to doubt if I had acted wisely,
'sout my shotgun and opened the
with the determination of hunting
and staying the snake. AS I had
hand on the catch there came
Of scut1iing and shutting in the
ana the noise slowly passed
ugh the door and out upon the port
Ids.
believed it was the snake going
to the iungles, and with my gun
The cock 1 opened the door and
ed out. A part of the serpent was
on the rail, and into this 1 fired
barrels as fast as I could pull the
ESs That portion of the snake
u by the heavy charges was
ten feet above the tail, and at
9olnt he was as large around as
Urinary mans ankle. He was al
cut IN two, as afterward came to
IN searching for the poor cook, we
MS body, limp and lifeless, and
ing half a dozen bites"
MERE WirEs HE CHEAP.
went to call on an African king
man who knew the proper way